There are many ways to play a game, and learning from others can improve every approach. Have a success story of your own? Tell us about it.
The following newsletter contains stories that reflect the “promising practices” of several BC communities.
Their efforts from Phase 1 of the Healthy Food and Beverages for Sale initiative highlight important practices that can inspire and inform others. As mentor communities, they will continue to share the challenges and solutions encountered in support of others embarking on the journey of promoting and facilitating healthy living.
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And see our latest Promising Practices videos here.
The Phase 1 project ran from May to December 2009. The baseline evaluation was completed from June-August and follow-up from November-December 2009.
Eighty four (84) facilities in ten (10) BC communities were directly impacted by the project.
On average, the eight Phase I communities who completed the facility assessment rated themselves 19% closer to an ideal “Healthy Choices Facility” score in their follow-up evaluation than at baseline.
Common activities by communities include:
· An 11% decrease in the amount of not recommended products being offered was observed from baseline to follow-up.
· Fewer sugar sweetened beverages were found in the follow-up audit
· An 9% and 11% increase, respectively, in the amount of choose most and choose sometimes products available
You can read the Phase 1 Evaluation Report Executive Summary here.
What follows are the highlights of BC success stories included in the toolkit: facilities that have introduced healthy choices initiatives with great results. In some cases, consumers made overwhelmingly healthier choices, in others, profits went up, and in all cases, the facilities are making a difference. Here are a few highlights; you can read the full success stories in the Toolkit.
In 2006, Kelowna YMCA-YWCA replaced high fat and sugar options with healthier ones, and labeled all vending choices using the BC School Nutrition Guidelines signage system. Throughout, all facility users have supported the initiative, leading to an immediate $400 increase in sales. Kelowna YMCA-YWCA now plans to increase their efforts, eliminating the “Not Recommended” and “Choose Least” options entirely. They credit part of their success to public events they've held which were very well attended and which boosted awareness. Kelowna's model has already inspired several other facilities around the province including New Westminster's YMCA-YWCA who is now following their lead.
Following their participation in a pilot test, three Penticton facilities formed Healthy Choices Committees to plan and implement long term changes. They encountered a number of challenges including obtaining funding, preventing significant revenue loss for the concessions, and dealing with an uncooperative concession operator in the arena. But Penticton recreation found solutions: they obtained funding through GetActive Penticton!, hired a coordinator to implement the plan along with a nutritionist, and approached vendors who had already successfully worked with the schools' healthy choices programs. They're now very pleased with the progression of the initiative.
Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich is a healthy food pioneer: due to pool changeroom renovations and space constraints they had to remove their concession, so they expanded their healthy vending service. The facility and their Commission believe offering healthy choices is more important than revenue from food and beverage sales, but they strive to minimize any drop in sales. Panorama was following the changes happening in schools, and felt many of them could be successful in the recreation centre setting. After significant planning and implementation, in October 2007, Panorama found that 72% of products sold were from the “Choose Most” and “Choose Sometimes” categories. They cite support from all levels of management, front line staff, and the Commission in the success of the program.
Following their participating in a pilot test, the District of Chetwynd Recreation Complex now hopes to offer 100% healthy choices. After finding a vending supplier, they plan to offer the healthy choices for a year then assess the results. Despite an anticipated initial revenue loss, the recreation and staff recognize their responsibility to the community, and want to find ways to profitably offer healthy choices. Chetwynd has found it challenging to find vending suppliers that service the area and to compete with a convenience store across the street. Nonetheless, they will continue to target both vending and concession and will also make changes to after school programs and special events. Because of this, Chetwynd Recreation Centre is an example of a very successful small community's approach.
